Eerie Stories from the Middle of Nowhere

Episode 5 – Adam’s Ghosts

I have always been fascinated by ghost stories. Well, fascinated and terrified. I wasn’t really allowed to watch horror movies as a kid. Religious upbringing and all that. I actually didn’t see “The Exorcist” until I was in my mid-20s so I was pretty out of the loop for a few years in regards to scary films. When I was about 10, I watched “Scream” at a friend’s house and my heart nearly beat out of my chest. Everyone else thought it was no big deal but scary stories and movies had more power and import for me since they were entirely verboten in my household.

I got all my ghost stories from books of terrifying tales and late-night legends around the campfire in Boy Scouts. In a way, that was even more terrifying than a horror movie because I was forced to fill in the gaps and details with my wildly overcharged imagination. I distinctly recall working myself up until I was actually shaking from fear simply by letting creepy scenarios play out in my head.

This fascination with the paranormal and the frightening things that lurk in the dark continues for me even today. When I first moved back to Longview in 2011, I spent many nights staying up late watching “Ghost Adventures”. Yeah, I know it’s a corny show and there are allegations that much of it was staged. Still, I had no friends, no job and little to do so I’d plunk down in a chair and suck up marathons of this show. I’d wander through the dark house to smoke a cigarette on the back porch and nearly jump at shadows as my mind raced with thoughts of EVPs and mysteriously thrown objects.

Watching that show really made me want to try ghost hunting. I had no equipment, no money and no haunted locations to explore but the desire was there all the same. Once, while over at my girlfriend’s house, we heard strange noises from her daughter’s room, which was empty at the time. I took out my phone and conducted an impromptu EVP session. I got no eerie, disembodied voices on the recording but I still thought it was a fascinating experience.

Now, I’m very lucky to be good friends with a guy who has actually been on many ghost hunts right here in East Texas. He’s conducted his own ghost tours and gone on hunts with official paranormal groups in Tyler. In addition to having this fascinating hobby, he’s also a world-class storyteller, probably the best one I know.

His name is Adam and I’m confident that you’ll dig his tales of haunted houses and spooky locations. I sat down with him to listen to a few of his ghosting stories. I enjoyed them so much that I’m sure I’ll have him back on the Dispatch to relate more tales. Check out our conversation and, if you like his style (as I’m sure you will), be sure to check out his Twitch stream. I’ve been on the stream a few times and it’s doing really well so be sure to show him some love. Enjoy the episode, fellow travelers through Nowhere.